


Stop N Shop

by toni_of_the_trees



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Group Killings, Kidnapping, M/M, Multi, Sexual Assault, Stockholm Syndrome, Underage - Freeform, Vigilante's, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-03 02:32:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10233737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toni_of_the_trees/pseuds/toni_of_the_trees
Summary: Frankie (24) has managed to acquire a young girl, Esme (16) to beher pet-partner-in-crime. The girl has killed once before, which Frankiefound out about, leading her to court the child under her wing from thatpoint on.Running a Stop N Shop together in the isolated areas of Alaska, Frankieteaches Esme her serial killing ways one step at a time.Things take a new turn when a pair of familiar faces show up in the middleof one of their kills, calling out the killer by her news-titled name; The Executioner.





	1. Good Girl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ethestrangest1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethestrangest1/gifts).



> My dear Esme ( @Ethestrangest1 ) made a gift for me including me in a wonderful  
> fic, so I couldn't help but break my urge to write something with the two of us  
> being bad asses. My middle name is Frankie, I don't like using my first name in fics  
> it just feels weird, ha ;P

 

 

 

 

 

Frankie sat back in the large black computer chair, slamming the dark brown steel toe boots  
on the desk as she crossed her legs. "I don't know what you're so nervous about. They're  
not very smart, and very quick to act on impulse." She said with a shrug, playing with a  
rubix cube in the dimly lit room.

 

Esme turned and stared wide eyed at the older girl who glanced at her then back to  
the puzzle in her hand. "That's EXACTLY what I'm nervous about. They make a bad  
decision and we're going to have to make our own REAL quick. I don't like making

last minute plans, Frankie."

 

Frankie sighed and dropped her feet from the desk, straightening her thin black windbreaker  
jacket above a white t-shirt and baggy khaki jeans as she rounded the corner.

 

"Calm down sunshine- if we need to act, we'll be prepared. Just stick to our plan meanwhile,  
mkay?" The jet black haired girl raised a brow as she brushed Esme's red shorter locks  
back.

 

Esme rolled her eyes and swatted the hand away as Frankie chuckled. Frankie rolled her  
jacket sleeves up, revealing the thick and thin tattooed bands that wrapped around her  
right arm from wrist to elbow- a cartoon character with Japanese on the inner of her  
left.

 

"Let's get goin', hm?" Frankie flashed a crooked smile to the younger girl as she threw  
a ratty maroon book bag over her shoulder by the strap. Esme chewed her lip and  
nodded, following her partner-in-crime out of the apartment.

 

\---

 

Esme fidgeted with the small golden buttons on her black dress, the sleeves long with  
strips cut loosely revealing peeks of her pale skin. She wore black leggings with the leather

black boots below the dress. Frankie glanced over at her, a small smile as she returned her eyes

to the road. She cleared her throat, pushing up the flat bill of her grey cap with her thumb before speaking.

 

"You okay kiddo?" The older one asked, chewing on gum as she spoke. Esme shifted in  
he passenger seat and looked at her with big blue eyes that seemed to mix with grey tones  
in the dark car- the quick passing streetlights flashing enough to show Frankie the look of concern  
she wore.

 

Frankie scrunched her nose a bit and sighed. "Okay, how bout this...I'll go in alone, you can wait  
in the car, and IF anything goes wrong- well...you'll know what to do, eh?" She reached over and  
ran her thumb across Esme's cheek for comfort, smirking when the younger girl finally smiled  
with a nod.

 

"Good girl."

 

\---

 

They parked behind a medium sized wood logged building with a sign titled "Stop-N-Shop".

Frankie climbed out with her maroon book bag, turning to shut the door she stopped when the  
kid spoke.

 

"I'll...I'll come in too. I don't like the idea of you being outnumbered."

 

Frankie raised a brow and grinned at her as she climbed out now. "Little snowflake, you know  
damn good and well I've handled two on my own many times before I found you- are you  
sure you want to join me?" She watched Esme round the car and give her a short glare.

 

"Let's go." She demanded, sending a chill down Frankie's spine as she chuckled in new  
eager anticipation. "Yes MA'AM~" Frankie snatched a bat out of the backseat and slammed   
the door shut before she strode across the snow to follow the girl  
into the gas station's back entrance.

 

 

\---

 


	2. The Usual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie and Esme's targets finally enter the shop that night.
> 
>  
> 
> Frankie emanates her eager lust to act- Esme can feel it like a heavy mist  
> growing in the air around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *taps fingers on keyboard*
> 
> Who could it beeeeee~

 

 

 

 

Frankie stood beside Esme behind the counter of their shop, emptying a carton of cigarettes  
and shoving the boxes into their designated spots on the shelf. Esme crouched beside the  
large cardboard box, handing each carton up to the woman when she asked for a specific  
brand or size.

 

Esme felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise when the front door chimed against the small  
metal bells. She swallowed hard and looked up at Frankie, who was already looking down at her  
with the frightening grin she gave her the first time she had met her. Her hazel eyes seemed  
to darken to another shade when she smiled this way.

 

Frankie winked at her and handed the half empty carton down, turning to face the customers  
that just approached the counter.

 

Esme slipped from behind it and casually made her way to the shelf full of snacks behind the  
customers, secretly boxing the two college aged males in.

 

They dropped two bags of chips and a soda to the counter, one asking for a pack of Newport  
cigarettes as Frankie turned to grab the usual demand.

 

"Right on time tonight, boys. Another party going on?" Frankie asked, ringing up their things  
and shoving the items into a plastic bag.

 

The blonde young man smirked and nodded, seeming nervous as the bigger dark haired one  
scoffed. "Yeah, don't plan on leaving it anytime soon either, so actually make it three packs  
of Newport's this time, will ya?"

 

Esme glanced over her shoulder, her blood ran cold when she could feel Frankie's fury tensing  
in the air. She knew this was it.

 

Frankie raised both of her brows and smiled crookedly at the two, chuckling as she turned  
to grab the smokes. "You're keeping this one awake or unconscious this time?" She asked,  
tossing the two green and white boxes into the bag.

 

The two furrowed their brows in confusion, the bigger one realizing now that Frankie knew  
about the girl they had tied up in their truck outside.

 

The blonde one gasped when a wire was tossed over his head, wrapping quick around his throat  
and pulling him backwards with force. The bigger male cursed in confusion, turning to see that

 

Esme held his friend down under her knee, a needle shoved in his neck that made him pass out  
in less than a few seconds.

 

When he turned back to face Frankie, he was greeted with a wooden bat, smashing into the side  
of his face that launched him straight to the ground with a loud thud. Frankie rounded the counter  
and took the needle that Esme shakily handed her, re-filling it and injecting the other one now  
to keep him unconscious.

 

"You did good sweet-cakes. Very good. I'm proud of you...would you be a dear and go free the  
poor thing outside? Bring the vehicle around back after letting her go- the usual speech please  
before you do- while I get these meat sacks to the storage room?" Frankie spoke calmly with  
a hint of pride and excitement on her tone, eyes seemingly distant as she pulled and twisted  
tight knotted ropes around their victims limbs.  
   
\---

 

Frankie sat the two back to back on the ground of the storage room, smiling as she shut the heavy  
door and returned to the counter. She picked up a damp rag and casually cleaned the blood from  
her bat as she watched Esme talking to the hooded girl, cutting the binds from her wrists and  
handing her a drawstring bag and a thick coat. The stranger nodded many times as Esme  
helped her put the jacket on over her torn clothes. Frankie smiled wider when Esme  
pulled the girl into a tight hug, kissing the side of her head through the sack.

 

Esme came back inside and looked at Frankie, who sat the bat back down under the counter. 

 

"How'd it go?" Frankie asked, pushing aside the bag of items the men would never get to use.

 

"Good...she seemed calm and thankful. I got her to understand that we'll take care of the  
fuckers...but that she can't tell anyone, not even if she knew them. She repeated the story  
back to me like a pro, she's a smart girl." Esme joined her behind the counter and  
crouched down to resume unpacking the cigarettes.

 

Frankie nodded and watched the young girl for a moment, lifting the cap and running her hand  
through her messy medium charcoal hair before nestling the hat back over it.

 

"That's good. Would you like to join me when they wake up? Or not just yet, dearie?"

Esme shot a look up at the woman, eyes telling in wonder as she thought of a response. 

 

Finally she simply shrugged and continued stocking the shelves.

 

Frankie licked her lips and blinked another nod- "Whenever you're ready sunshine, I'll be here  
to guide you through it. I know you'd do beautifully...I trust you." She pulled her jacket off,  
setting it down on a stool before rolling the white shirt's sleeves up to her elbows again to  
reveal the tattoos.

 

Esme peeked up and tried to start normal conversation, "How long did it take when you got  
those black bands on your arm?"

 

Frankie raised her brows and chuckled at the shifted subject. "Six hours, 5 if you don't count  
how many times I stepped out to smoke a cigarette with the artist."

 

"That's a long time...did it hurt?" "The first three bands didn't hurt. The big one closest  
to my elbow had me cursing the Lord in heaven a bit to be honest though. Shading with  
small needle's on such a sensitive spot like the inner elbow basically feels like some  
asshole is ripping your veins out slowly." Frankie laughed and popped a fresh stick  
of gum in her mouth.

 

Esme cringed at the vile description, looking at the woman again and seeing the  
writing across her collar bone peeking out of the three undone buttons of her shirt. 

 

She remembered seeing it when Frankie had changed tops in front of her, despite  
the sports bra she could read the swirling cursive script that read  
'You Can't Take The Sky From Me'.

 

"-and the chest tattoo?"

 

"That one- everyone told me would hurt like a bitch. It felt like a massage to me, very calming,  
like a vibrator just sitting on my chest- ha!"

 

Esme couldn't help but giggle at that one, shaking her head as she closed the cardboard box up.

 

They both stopped chatting when the door chimed again, Esme standing up quickly to see  
who it was. They were in such an isolated spot in Alaska that it wasn't often they got more than  
four of the same returning customers at the same weekly times for the same list of supplies.

 

This wasn't any of the usual's normal times.

 

 

\---


	3. One Way or Another

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie recognizes the two men after a bit, feeling a  
> lingering threat that she tries her best to avoid.
> 
> Esme is confused but trusts Frankie's demands through the  
> situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sassy ass bunch, hm?

    

 

 

 

 

The two men entered the shop, both stopping for a moment to greet the two girls behind the  
counter.

 

Frankie watched them with predatory eyes, gesturing Esme to return to working so it didn't seem  
like they were too concerned with the unexpected presence.

 

Esme obeyed and fumbled for the price tag maker, looking over her shoulder once more at the  
men before she started labeling phone chargers.

 

The older man looked dangerous, tall and fit under a black leather jacket and white tee above  
dark blue pressed jeans. His hair was a deep chestnut golden brown with hints of gray  
peeking through, dusting softly over his brow. The other was just a bit shorter than the  
intimidating one with the sharp cheek bones. He had short dark chocolate curls brushed  
in an attempted tame, his skin pale exempt for the tinge of rosy pink blush that  
seemed permanently seared on his cheeks.

 

The bright blue-green eyes were so bright they could be spotted from yards away. The smaller  
male was dressed in a pullover hoodie that he clearly had bought crossing the border into Alaska,  
the grey fabric decorated with a large wolf beside the words 'ANCHORAGE ALASKA', a ratty torn pair  
of light blue jeans with muddy sneakers to finish off the poor outfit.

 

Frankie chewed her gum patiently, waiting for the two to pick their items and approach the counter.

 

When they finally did, she simply smiled and greeted them again. "How are the two of you doin? Long  
trip, hm?"

 

The blue-eyed boy seemed to suddenly perk up a bit, a quick squint as he nudged the bigger man.

 

They seemed to communicate without words when the taller one smiled with a raised brow of  
interest.

 

"We're doing fantastic, the trip has been wonderfully beautiful through the mountains. Would  
you mind if I ask if the men you have locked in your storage room are still alive?"

 

Frankie froze and stared at them with wide eyes, the veins in her neck visibly tightened as she  
threw her hand down to grab for the bat.

 

Esme gasped and yelped, covering her mouth with her hands when the accented man snapped  
his hand forward- gripping Frankie's tattooed wrist firmly as he clicked his tongue at her.

 

"Tsk...you misunderstood me dear- I merely meant to bring to your attention that you  
should have your business locked up at a time like this, seeing as the two of us just  
happened to enter and~"

 

He paused his sentence when there was a hard bang heard from the storage room. Then  
another, following another.

 

"-and they're still alive." He grinned and let the woman's wrist go.

 

She snatched her hand back and rubbed it with a scowl on her face, glancing over at Esme  
with demanding eyes that didn't need instruction. Her eyes caught for a moment on the

deep healing scar on the younger one's cheek, blinking back to the foreign one.

 

Esme nodded shakily in confusion and hurried off to the storage room with Frankie's maroon  
book bag in hand.

 

"Hannibal fucking Lecter and Will god damned Graham...thought I recognized you blokes."  
Frankie snarled and stared at them with daring eyes. Will raised a brow and looked at  
Hannibal who smirked through a chuckle.

 

"We know her?" Will asked curiously, eyeing the tattooed woman behind the counter.

 

"Mm, yes, in fact we do Will dear, this is who we know as 'The Executioner', back in our  
detective days with Jack." Hannibal reached out and brushed the woman's chin with his  
knuckles, smiling when she snapped her jaw away from the touch. 

 

"I'm gonna guess you knew from the moment you stepped in my shop?" She pulled an open  
pack of Marlboro Southern Cut cigarettes from her pant pocket and lit one as she leaned back on  
the shelf full of electronic cigarette filters.

 

Will looked at Hannibal again, waiting for the response.

 

"Yes, I did, in fact. I could smell the blood you have on what I assume is a rag under the counter.  
You're favorite weapon is a bat, so, you cleaned it a short while ago. You thought you had more  
time seeing as you don't get many unexpected customers- so...I'd advise you clean the blood  
from the floor as well, soon. If you had smoked your cancer stick before I arrived it may have  
taken me a little bit longer before noticing, to be honest. I can't help but also point out  
you left the victim's bag of groceries unpaid and untended to on the counter."

 

"You knew when we came in and didn't tell me?" Will seemed annoyed now, crossing his arms  
over his chest. "You noticed when we approached the counter, didn't you? I knew you'd figure  
it out soon enough, darling." Hannibal caressed Will's arm gently with a loving look in his eyes.

 

Will rolled his eyes at that- "Okay, well...I'm getting better at being able to smell things the way  
you do. No need to test me like that."

 

Hannibal chuckled low under his breath and pressed a kiss to the younger man's forehead.

 

"Okay, lover boys...wanna tell me where we go from here or can you let me handle  
my business the way I see fit." Frankie asked sternly, blowing the smoke respectively away  
from the two.

 

Will smiled a bit, his worry for whether or not they'd have to kill someone so unexpectedly  
fading away when the woman seemed confident yet courteous with herself.

 

"Of course, we'll let you proceed with your, darling little friend here-" Hannibal said, gesturing  
his eyes to Esme who came out and shut the storage door with the book bag in hand.

 

Frankie turned to Esme and nodded when she noticed the kicking sounds had stopped.

 

"Is everything...uhm, okay, Frankie?" Esme asked as she stepped over to the woman's side.

 

Frankie groaned and rubbed her eyes with a scoffed chuckle.

 

Esme stared at her with wide eyes, confused as to what was funny.

 

"Sunshine, little darling of mine- you remember a few moments ago when these two gentlemen  
announced that they knew we had two meat sacks in the storage room?"

 

Esme nodded and glanced at them nervously, blushing when the foreign one winked at her.

 

"They didn't know my name until you came out and said it, lovely." Frankie grinned and pulled  
the girl close to press a hard kiss to her temple.

 

"Oh! Sh-shit, I'm sorry Frankie. I mean, fuck!" Esme covered her face and blushed even harder  
in her folly, Frankie laughing and shushing her. "It's okay snowflake, they know where I work, they  
would have found out one way or another. Calm down. Just be careful with what you say in times  
like this, mkay?"

 

Esme nodded again and looked at Will now, who was smiling sweetly at her with compassion in his eyes.

 

"It's alright sweetheart...I've done worse on accident with this guy- he isn't as gentle with his reaction  
though, you're lucky." Will said with a grin, causing the young girl's heart to flutter a bit under the  
beaming bright perfect toothy smile.

 

"I do not~" Hannibal started, stopping when Will shot him an accusing glare.

 

"...fair enough." Hannibal muttered, thinking of the time Will accidentally introduced himself as

'Will' instead of 'Luke' to a security guard on the boat. It was quick and painless when he snapped  
the man's neck in the bathroom. Only two minutes total to sneak him to the parking level and toss  
the body into the ocean.

 

 

\---

 


	4. Sharp & Soft

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Esme and Frankie are headed to Hannibal and Will's cabin in   
> a distant isolated area a good ways from where they're accustomed to. 
> 
> They take their time to prepare for the strange dinner before they   
> leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *smiles*
> 
> Esme's too cute.

 

 

 

 

Hannibal and Will invited Frankie and Esme over the next day for dinner.

 

Frankie accepted, despite Esme's nerves showing clear in the situation.

 

\---

 

"Frankie...I don't wanna be a kill-joy~"

 

Frankie snickered like a child at the word as she pulled on a black blazer over a darker black half undone button down.  
Esme rolled her eyes when she remembered Frankie loved any ironic play on words that had anything to do  
with murder. "..mature, you're how much older than me?" She sighed and leaned against the dresser, watching

the woman dress up.

 

Frankie merely chuckled in response and pulled the matching black slacks over a pair of silk boxers. 

 

Esme pursed her lips at the outfit, appreciating how well she cleaned up when needed- the usual  
dirt stained wrinkled wardrobe that she always wore around seemed to belong to a filthy young college  
male. Now that she thought about it, that's probably where she got her clothes.

 

"You look sharp, where'd you get the suit?"

 

"A slightly perfectly sized lawyer who used to beat his wife and daughter whenever he lost  
cases." Frankie smirked and flipped the crisp ironed flaps of the blazer with a wink. "Lucky me  
for having like, negative zero sized tits, I make for a pretty good lookin' dude, huh?"

 

Esme laughed and shook her head as Frankie tied the dress shoe laces up.

 

"You don't find it creepy that you're wearing a dead man's suit? There's no like, bad juju with  
stuff like that?" She stood up and walked over to help the woman adjust the cuff-links, fixing

the silver watch to a tighter setting so it didn't slide up and down her wrist.

 

"Mmm, no, kinda feels like victory. That dress I got you was his secretary's, she was having  
an affair with him and acted like the poor wife's best friend. No shits given that the bastard  
was beating her."

 

Esme froze and looked down at the lacey short white dress she wore in horror, snapping  
shocked eyes back to Frankie in disbelief.

 

"I'm kidding. Please don't hit me- OW! HA, fuck, I'm sorry, poor humor!" Frankie laughed and  
defended herself from the flurry of smacks Esme threw at her.

 

"You BETTER be kidding, you shit ass."

 

"Heyyy, language, we gotta be classy for these blokes, otherwise the big one might kill us.  
That, I'm not kidding about sadly. Seriously, be a good girl for mama bear, hm? You look

fantastic, by the way...like a soft glowing angel straight from heaven."

 

Frankie poked Esme's nose with a 'boop' as the girl looked at her with new fear now,  
sighing exhaustedly over all the sudden information.

 

\---

 

Esme and Frankie stood outside the large cabin home, waiting patiently for someone to  
answer Frankie's 'over use' of the doorbell. "Quit!" Esme snapped, smacking the woman's  
hand from the button. "Just testing how much I can relax before I get a death glare  
warning from 'em. I don't wanna be all uptight the whole fuckin' time." Frankie  
muttered, rolling her sleeves up to her elbows.

 

"I'm not gonna get killed in a cabin because you want to be a brat." Esme hissed,  
pinching the woman's now vulnerable tattooed skin hard.

 

"AH, shit, okay!" Frankie frowned and rubbed the painful spot.

 

"Had the nerve to tell ME to be good..." Esme mumbled before the door finally opened.

Frankie stood at attention and saluted Hannibal, Esme letting a small groan escape.

 

Hannibal simply smiled and greeted them, kissing Esme's hand and shaking Frankie's.

 

"Please, come in. Would you like me to take your coat, dear?" The foreign man placed  
one hand on Esme's shoulder, holding the other one out in question.

 

She swallowed and blushed at the handsome man that loomed above her by at least  
half a foot. He had his hair bushed soft and over his forehead, wearing a three piece suit  
with thin pin stripes on the waist-coat.

 

"Um, yes, please." She let him take the grey fur coat off her shoulders and draped  
it over his arm.

 

"Pretty snazzy place you got here, Doctor!" Frankie called out, making her way to  
the fireplace to lean backwards with her hands in her pockets, examining the large  
painting of the woods hanging above it.

 

"Thank you, Frankie. You can join us in the kitchen for drinks?" Hannibal lead Esme  
to the kitchen as Frankie strode over, looking around curiously on the way.

 

Will came down the stairs, nodding once to Frankie before stepping over to kiss  
Esme's hand as Hannibal had. Frankie raised a brow and smirked at the young  
girl flushing red all over again.

 

"Thanks for the whiskey, gentlemen- taste's fantastic!" Frankie beamed, leaning  
against the counter and taking another sip. Hannibal smiled and nodded at her,  
toasting his glass of wine to her drink with a small clink.

 

"I like your taste, I'm more of a whiskey drinker myself. Though I indulge in Hannibal's  
love of wine when it comes to eating." Will raised his glass as well to touch it to Frankie's  
with a smile. "That's the way to do it." She grinned and drank again.

 

"What kind of wine is this?" Esme asked, sniffing the rim after taking a small sip.

 

"It's a-"

 

"It's illegal in the state of Alaska for you, that's what it is young lady." Frankie said through  
a chuckle. Will and Hannibal raised their brows curiously at that.

 

Esme blushed again, rolling her eyes at Frankie as she took a bigger sip.

 

"She's underage. Obviously I don't give her any grief over wanting to indulge, since  
she's such a good little partner of mine. You should see her handle a wire around  
a scum's throat, it's- riveting." Frankie pulled the girl close and kissed her cheek  
softly.

 

"Oh?" Hannibal smirked, eyeing the redhead with interest.

 

"You sound like someone I know, Frankie." Will said as he snuck a gesture toward  
Hannibal with a smile.

 

Frankie laughed and let the girls waist go to place her hand in her pocket, taking  
another sip of whiskey with Will.

 

"I honestly have to take that as a wildly out of place compliment, ha. How's a smoke  
sound to anyone? I know I would get my throat sliced if I dared light up in this  
fancy cozy residence."

 

Will laughed and agreed, "I could use one for sure, I only smoke when I'm drinking  
anyway."

 

"You two go ahead, I'll keep young Esme here entertained enough without Frankie  
around to badger her." Hannibal said with a smile, pouring a fresh amount of wine  
to refill the girls glass.

 

 

 

\---

 


	5. What Happened?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will wants to know what Frankie ended up doing with the two meat sacks,
> 
>  
> 
> Hannibal curious as to how Esme ended up with the killer woman.

 

   

 

Will leaned on the porch beside Frankie, the two smoking and drinking their  
whiskey's in a short silence before Will spoke.

 

"So, what happened to the fellows in the storage room?" He asked, glancing  
at the suit-clad woman.

 

"Hm? Oh, I did some fucked up shit to their arses before I injected them with  
my sweet little mixture of death, then cut their heads off for my collection."

 

She smiled and took another drag off her cigarette.

 

Will raised his brows and blinked at her in slight shock.

 

"...did you really?"

 

"Mm, yep. I did the fucked up shit alone, then let little Esme watch me put them  
to sleep so she can get used to seeing someone die. Obviously I took their heads  
without her around. She doesn't know about my collection. I bag the bodies up before  
she helps me get rid of them so, I mean, unless she grabs the head end of the bag,  
which I always take, she wont really know. Y'Know?" Frankie smirked and shrugged  
as she took a sip of the whiskey.

 

Will had to restrain the gawking look he wanted to make at the unexpected answer,  
clenching his jaw as he scoffed and shook his head.

 

"That's pretty damn brutal." He muttered with his lips close to his glass.

 

"Meh- so is the shit the fuckers do to those poor girls before they either  
slit their throats and dump them in a ditch or blind and leave them in the middle  
of the road, etcetera, all the horrible crap you would think doesn't happen.  
But it does. And I find them." Frankie grew stern in her words all of the sudden,  
huffing through a shaky exhale before she finished her smoke.

 

Will looked at her curiously now, sensing a deeper reasoning in her explanation.

 

"I get it. It's a relief to know someone who kills for a better reason than being  
rude I guess. Not that I disagree with Hannibal now-a-days. I've grown used to it."

 

Will and Frankie laughed together at that, touching glasses in agreement.

 

\---

 

"Can I ask how you came to become Frankie, the Executioner's partner in crime,  
young Esme?" Hannibal asked, standing beside her by the fireplace as they sipped  
on their wine.

 

"Uh, well...she just-happened to be passing an alley one night. I had been at a club and  
a guy convinced me to come outside to smoke with him. He tried to get handsy with me  
and...didn't listen to me when I kept telling him to stop and get off. I had drank a good bit,  
and just...instinctively pulled my pocket knife out and stabbed him in the stomach."

 

Esme furrowed her brows and stared down at her wine that she swirled around slowly.

 

"...did this kill the man?" Hannibal pushed, wanting to know the story eagerly now.

 

Esme almost cringed at the question, but answered.

 

"It would have, if I left him there to bleed out...Frankie saw it happen and came into the  
alley. She saw that I was panicking, trying to stop him from bleeding and trying to find my  
cell phone. She stopped me and held my face, telling me everything was going to be okay.

 

Then she...pulled my knife out of him and just...feld it up, put it in her own pocket and took 

a different blade out. She just, calm as anyone I've ever seen, slowly pushed her knife  
up into his neck and stared at him as he choked on his blood and died, twitching and staring  
up at her like..." Esme shivered and shook her head, downing the last of the wine and  
asking if she could have another glass.

 

Hannibal stared at her with wide eyes, suppressing an interested smirk and nodding as he  
made his way back to the kitchen with her.

 

"I'm sorry you went through that, dear. Can I ask though, why you stayed with her  
when you were so frightened by her reaction to defend and protect you as a stranger?"

 

Hannibal poured her a fresh glass, watching her face carefully.

 

"...I don't know really, I just, guess I felt like I was instantly owned by her in that moment.  
Like, there was nothing else I could do to repay her for helping me other than helping her  
from that point on. She's, charming, in a very protective caring way I couldn't even begin  
to explain and make sense of. She's like a big brother who would risk everything to make  
sure I'm happy and safe. She always checks on me, asks me if I'm okay with everything  
before she does anything, usually. It's, sweet of her." Esme finally smiled and looked  
at Hannibal with admiration in her eyes.

 

Hannibal smiled wider and leaned forward to kiss her forehead softly.

 

"That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say. I can see that between the two of you.

 

It's beautiful."

 

 

 

\---

 

 


	6. Don't Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie and Will agree to start a bonfire in the field behind the cabin,  
> the group drinking through the rest of the night outside.
> 
> Hannibal gets everyone to bed properly when it's late enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I'm drinking and shouldn't be typing, and had to do this three   
>  times because I kept hitting the wrong buttons.
> 
> *sighs drunkly*

  

 

 

When they finally sat down for dinner, Esme tried to let the wine ease her nerves,  
watching Frankie's table etiquette as they ate.

 

Frankie noticed the girl keeping an eye on her, smirking with a wink to let her  
know she wasn't going to do anything to disturb the dinner.

 

When they all finished, Frankie had insisted on starting a bonfire in the field  
behind the expensive cabin, Will excitedly agreeing as they prepped the pile.

 

Esme sat close to the fire in her short white lacey dress, Frankie's arm resting  
on her shoulders as they continued to drink. Frankie had taken off her black blazer  
and placed it over Esme's shoulders to keep her warm in the chilly night, despite  
the large pile of burning wood and hay in front of them. Her dress shirt sleeves  
still rolled up to her elbows and she had shed her polished shoes to walk around in  
her black socks.

 

Hannibal had changed out of his suit into a pair of dark blue jeans and grey tshirt,  
Will had changed as well to a comfortable green long sleeve and sweatpants, sitting  
on the ground between Hannibal's thighs with his back resting against the man's chest  
beside the two girls.

 

"This is pretty nice- I like this. We should do this more often, Hanni~" Will slurred,  
glancing up at him with a smile. "That we should, darling." Hannibal smirked and  
kissed the short mess of curls.

 

"Thanks for havin' us over fella's, *hic*, 'scuse me. The food was great, the alcohol  
is fantastic, you really know how to treat a couple of rogues like us." Frankie  
slurred as well, leaning over to bite Esme's cheek playfully in her inebriation.

 

Esme laughed and flicked Frankie in the forehead, the woman grunting with an  
exaggerated scowl.

 

"Don't- don't bite her face, you'll mess her pretty makeup~" Will said with a chuckle,  
Hannibal rolling his eyes and stopping his partner from slumping lower.

 

"It was a pleasure to have like-minded company, Frankie, you too dear Esme."  
Hannibal smiled over to them, huffing an amused laugh when Frankie stumbled  
to her feet, stretching her arms up above her head with another hiccup.

 

"We should be heading home though, eh?" She looked down at Esme, holding a  
hand out to help her stand.

 

"Are you sure? We have a guest room you're welcome to. You both have drank quite  
a bit, and little Esme here could get you in some trouble if you got pulled over."

 

Hannibal gently maneuvered himself up, stifling a grunt when Will swatted at him  
to leave him on the ground.

 

"Brat.." He muttered and rolled his eyes, letting Will lie on his back with a drunk giggle.

 

"I mean, if youuuu want to stay, Esme, I don't objectsss." Frankie raised a brow at the  
girl, catching herself before she tripped on her own feet to step over and grab  
Esme's hand in question.

 

"Um..that might actually be the better idea then, yes, please. We appreciate it, Hannibal."  
She smiled sweetly at the man who nodded and lead them back into the house.

 

\---

 

After spending a while longer outside with Will in order to watch the fire burn out,  
Hannibal managed to get Will to bed with him after showing the two where the  
guest room and upstairs restroom was.

 

Esme shook her head as Frankie dropped drunkly to the queen sized bed, asking  
the girl through a whine to turn out the light. She did so, kicking off her heels beside  
the door.

 

"Halp-" Frankie grunted, her suit pants sloppily pushed halfway down over her silk  
checker patterned boxers.

 

"Jesus, really..." Esme sighed and dragged the slacks off the woman, folding them  
neatly and setting them on the reading chair beside the bedside table.

 

"Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu darrrrlin'." Frankie mumbled and turned to her stomach  
in the middle of the comforter, leaving the dress shirt on but half undone still with  
sleeves rolled up.

 

"Frankie...you gotta- can you..come on, scoot over so I can have some space you  
giant doof. Ugh." Esme gave up when the woman snored, pushing her gently  
over a bit so she could climb in the small space left.

 

Frankie sleeping ontop of the blankets rendered them useless, so she resorted  
to sleeping ontop of them as well, pulling the edges of her dress down and tucking  
some of the lace between her thighs so it wouldn't ride up as she scooted to  
a comfortable position, her back to Frankie.

 

After a few minutes Esme gasped lightly in surprise when the tattooed arm came out of nowhere,  
wrapping around her waist and pulling her close in her drunken slumber.

 

She flushed red and shyly curled a bit, tensing when the woman nestled her  
face into the back of her short red hair, the arm squeezing her tighter against her  
body.

 

"F-frankie..." She whispered in question, wondering if she was awake.

 

"Mmf...mmwhat.." Frankie slurred sleepily into her hair, sighing back to sleep.

 

Esme worried a short huff and blinked in the darkness, closing her eyes to  
try and fall asleep herself, feeling the strong arm try once more to drunkly  
pull her impossibly closer in the embrace.

 

\---

 

Frankie woke up when the sunlight beamed pink and orange through the open  
curtains, squinting as she groaned under her breath.

 

She paused and sat up on her elbow, blinking down at Esme. The girl was  
curled up, facing her with her face pressed into Frankie's chest, the delicate  
pale hands lazily gripping her wrinkled dress shirt, knees curled up and  
poking into the woman's pelvis.

 

Staring at the sleeping thing against her, she swallowed hard and cleared her  
throat quietly. "H-hey...kiddo, come on, I need some breakfast. Let's get up."

 

Frankie nudged the girl gently, sitting up to climb out of bed now, frowning at the  
sudden empty feeling.

 

Esme whined and shielded her eyes from the sun when Frankie's body leaving let  
the rays aim at her now. "MMrrrrrnnooo, whaaaat~"

 

"I'm hungry, and hungover, I want-" Frankie froze when she pulled her slacks up over her  
boxers to her waist, hands paused over her belt when she looked at the curled up  
thing ontop of the blankets, a pair of lacey white panties matching the dress half revealed  
from the wrinkled slept in outfit.

 

"- I want..uh, some Denny's or something...get up, lazy brat." Frankie turned away and  
finished doing up her belt buckle, tucking her shirt in sloppily and shook her hands through  
her short black bed-head hair.

 

"You always want Denny's." Esme groaned, finally rolling out of bed with a short glare  
to the woman who smiled awkwardly back at her for a second.

 

 

"It's the quality hangover service that gets me. Every time." Frankie chuckled, wondering  
where she left her shoes.

 

 

 

\---


End file.
